


Old Black Magic

by RoriJane



Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe - Witchcraft, How that is not a tag I have no idea, Ninjago AU, wind and witchery AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-13
Packaged: 2020-08-16 04:08:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20190598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RoriJane/pseuds/RoriJane
Summary: Morro is resurrected early on by Harumi. Rather than take the opportunity to get revenge, he flees and starts working at an odd antique shop with a girl and her very strange cat...





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Based on my (Rori's) Wind and Witchery AU posts. This will not follow the headcanons strictly.

The first thing Morro was conscious of, was that he was underwater or, at least, some type of liquid. The second, was that he was actually DROWNING.

Morro hadn't been much of a swimmer before he died and this carried over into his apparent resurrection. He clawed his way upward and burst out of the liquid choking and gasping for breath. Someone big grabbed him by the back of his shirt and placed him on the ground in front of the dish he apparently had been in. Weird, the afterlife wasn't usually like that...

"Morro, Master of Wind!"

Morro wiped the water out of his eyes, looked around, and was immediately on edge. A bunch of rough looking characters were standing around him in a semicircle and a hooded figure with a face mask and dark brown eyes was looking at him. They were all grinning at him and they were in some kind of temple with strange runes on the floor. This, he decided, did not look good, "Um...Yes?"

The hooded figure bowed low, "I, the Quiet One, request your assistance as we have a common enemy! Lloyd Garmadon! Help me destroy him and I will make you the Green Ninja!"

Oh. Oh no, not this again, "No."

The Quiet One raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me? No?"

Morro moved away from the giant that lifted him out and snapped, "No, I want NOTHING to do with whatever new brand of crazy has been cooked up here." He looked around for some kind of weapon and his eyes settled on a decorative spear. He picked it up and pointed it at them, "Now move."

She (at least Morro thought they were a she) stared at him and asked, "But don't you want to be the Green Ninja?"

"Not anymore if this is what he looks forward to on a day-to-day basis."

The Quiet One sighed, "Very well. If you won't help me willingly, then I'll just use force." At that, the group started to move towards Morro threateningly 

"You really shouldn't have done this, Necromancy damns your soul. You also should have moved."

With that Morro swept the spear around in a circle and knocked the group down with a gust of wind and raced out the door and up the stairs, throwing the spear at their leader and pinning her to the ground through her shirt. The Quiet One was screaming at her henchmen to capture him, something that Morro had no intention of happening. He slammed out the door and into the ROYAL COURTYARD for whatever reason, then lifted himself over the wall and raced down the road into the night, shouts following him.

* * *

Within the next month Morro began to realize some things. Number one, was that he could not go to the Ninja. Not only was he still technically their enemy, the world had apparently undergone a facelift after his second visit and everything in Ninjago had changed. He had no idea where anything was anymore.

Number Two, was that the cult (Sons of Garmadon) would catch up with him sooner or later. They seemed to be everywhere in Ninjago, especially Ninjago City, and they were looking for him. He'd nearly been caught while asleep a few days ago and, as a result, hadn't slept for three days. 

Number Three, was that he needed a place to live and food to eat and a job. As he was alive, which was really inconvenient. If he were still a ghost all that would be a non-issue.

These thoughts occupied him as he searched a dumpster on an alley's low back wall for something edible. Because nobody wanted to hire a trash hobo and most charities seemed to be scared of him.

"There he is!"

Morro turned and saw three SOG members running towards him. He sort of knew two of their names by now: Mr. E, Ultra something, and the Giant. Morro groaned, "Oh COME ON could you let me eat?!" A shuriken slammed next to his head, "I guess not." He could have stood and fought but he was low on energy and didn't want to exhaust himself more. So he ran because THAT wouldn't tire him out at all. He jumped up on the dumpster and vaulted over the wall, his left arm narrowly missing being impaled by a sai. It clattered to the ground beside him as he ran. He darted out onto the sidewalk and raced down it, knocking into people as he went, "Sorry!"

Something caught the back of his jacket and he jerked backwards. He could feel the cold of the hand that caught him and realized it was Mr. E. Before he could do anything, a sharp searing pain went through his leg and Morro screamed before shedding his cloak and limping as fast as he could with his leg throbbing He shot a gust of wind aimlessly back and knocked his attackers and a few other people over. This bought him enough time to get around a corner and hide behind some trash cans.

"Dammit..." Morro felt the back of his leg with a wince. There wasn't a weapon lodged in it, which was good and bad. Good because it meant he didn't have to worry about jostling the thing and bad because he was bleeding heavily and, had the weapon been left in the wound, it would have stopped or slowed the loss of blood and lessened the chance of infection. He needed to find a safe place as soon as possible and wrap up his leg up before it became an emergency. 

He craned his head around over the trash cans and watched the trio run past his hiding place. He stood painfully up and limped down the alleyway, hoping they didn't come back to check. Which they did, "Catch him, he's wounded!"

Morro panicked and looked around for a door, seeing one that went into a shop named, according to the sign, 'Special Antiques'. Without thinking about it he slammed the door open, the little bell ringing loudly.

The shop smelled old with a hint of something like cinnamon and bitter herbs in the air, along with someone's cooking. The shop wasn't much to look at from the outside but it was beautiful on the inside. It seemed to be three floors high, and the railings of the stairs and on the edges of each floor were beautifully carved with the seemingly moving images of hares, crows, unicorns, dragons, various flowers trees and vines. The wall was covered with paintings and old clocks and each row had shelves filled with various knicknacks, old books, and lamps. There were glass cases filled with globes, carved sticks, and, oddly enough, divining boards. The desk with the till had small racks with wonderfully made jewelry and a nameplate that read 'Viola Reid'.. There seemed to be even more on the second floor but it wasn't clearly visible. There was an open elevator marked with a wheelchair for the disabled and it was also decorated with birds that moved.

The Master of Wind would have appreciated the shop more if he wasn't injured or being chased by cultists. He was about to call out when something meowed indignantly. Morro looked down to see a large gray cat with gray eyes and a plain blue collar glaring up at him. When the young man reached down to pet the animal it hissed and clawed at his hand, so he quickly withdrew it, muttering apologies. The cat seemed to be taking note of him before walking over to the stairs and yowling.

A young woman can flying down the stairs and stood in front of him demanding, "Who are you and why are you here?!" She was much smaller than Morro but seemed to be about his age, maybe a little older. She was pale with light freckles across her nose and had sharp gray eyes and curly black hair pulled back into a braided updo. The girl wore a plain black dress, flats, and a colorful decorative belt with images of beetles and other insects that seemed to be scurrying around and made Morro feel a bit dizzy. Viola glared and snapped, "Well? Why are you here? How did you find this place?"

"I..." the door opened and Morro turned to see the three SOG come in. He dove behind the desk, "I need to hide!"

Viola glowered at them, "And how did you find this place, hm? Need to hide too, do you?"

This threw the trio, as they were used to people being somewhat afraid of them and this person was not scared. She actually seemed ANNOYED with them.

Ultra Violet decided to speak for the group. She said with the sweetness of a deadly spider, "We're looking for our friend. He's a tall, skinny, grungy looking thing with pale skin, green eyes, and brown hair. It's got a green steak, if that sounds familiar?"

Viola snapped, "Never seen him, don't know who he is. Get out, you smell like necromancy." The cat hissed in agreement.

The Giant raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"You. Smell. Like. Necromancy. We don't want people who associate with Necromancers here, get out!" 

They didn't move and Ultra Violet laughed, "We aren't scared of you little miss" she walked menacingly towards Viola and brandished her Sai, "We know you're lying so tell us where Morro is and we'll let you live."

Ignoring the crazed woman, Viola muttered something in a strange language and held out her hand in the direction of an umbrella stand filled with swords and parasols. A sword flew into her hand and she charged at them, catching them by surprise, and shrieking, "The blood weapon Sikanda demands your deaths, meet your maker and despair!" The cat yowled and charged towards them as well.

The three stumbled backward and Viola, using the element of surprise, forced them out and cast a dust from her pocket into their eyes, mumbling in the odd language and slamming the door shut, locking it. A few moments later the three seemed to be unable to see the shop and were shouting at each other in muffled voices, "You let her trick us!"

"It wasn't me!"

"Bah! Lets try this way, maybe we just imagined the whole thing!"

After the yelling was gone, Viola unlocked the shop and walked over to the desk and looked at Morro, "Ask me for a job."

"What?"

"ASK ME FOR A JOB DO I STUTTER?!"

Morro held up his hands and stammered, "C-can I have a job?"

Viola shrugged and replied, "Fine, I could use the help. I'll get the necromancy off you and bind up your wound. Put your arm around my shoulder and I'll help you into the lift."

"Didn't you just fo- Never mind."

* * *

After they got up to the third floor, Viola helped Morro to a small beat up couch and left, saying she would find some medicine and "Stuff to get the black magic off."

He looked around the living room and absently stroked the cat, who had jumped into his lap. It didn't seem as 'alive' as the shop did and was quite plainly decorated. There was a silver tray with spells on the edges on the mantelpiece and a small television and coffee table in front of the couch. There was a large table book on it with a moving Kitsune picture and was titled "Yokai of Rural Ninjago'. The wallpaper was still, like a dead thing, Morro got the feeling the flowers on it should give off scent or move.

Viola walked back into the room, arms full, and noticed Morro looking around. She shrugged, "Can't afford new wallpaper" She sat down and said, "Put your leg on the table, pull up the pant leg, and I'll have a look."

After examining the injury, Viola took out a jar of medicine and a jar of strange herbs and mixed the two together into a poultice. She then packed it into the wound and wrapped it with a clean bandage, "That should do it, eh Tom Reid?" Tom Reid meowed and jumped off Morro's lap and left the room. 

Viola looked at Morro, "That's bad magic and nothing will ever fully get rid of it" She handed him some sage, "However, if you chew this once a day for three weeks it will dispel most of the magic and keep evil spirits off you."

The young man took it and blurted, "Are you a witch?"

She bristled, "and what of it?!"

Morro held up his hands and said soothingly, "I didn't mean anything by it, I was just curious. Most people can't call swords to them."

The woman calmed down a little and said shortly, "Keep your curiosity to yourself, it's a dangerous thing in this world."

Viola reached out and straightened the book, the kitsune snapping at her fingers, "Now in addition to your pay, which is minimum wage, you will live in the apartment across the hall from here. It's fully furnished and free of magic, if that bothers you" She added as an afterthought, "The shop only shows up to those who have need of it, its never once made a mistake which is why you're here."

She stood up abruptly, "Since you haven't bought your own food yet, you should eat roasted duck and greens with us. You have three days to rest up and settle in before I put you to work."


	2. Chapter 2

After the three day rest period and a month or two, of training, Viola put Morro to work sweeping and generally keeping the shop clean. Money had changed a LOT since Morro's death and the witch found she'd have to reteach him different values for each bill and coin and how to give change back correctly, so it seemed safer to keep him off the till until he gained a little more knowledge and skill in the change department. 

Morro found he enjoyed it anyhow. He got new clothes out of the deal (nothing green, he found he disliked the color) and a lot of interesting people came into the shop, though they seemed to dislike him and Viola greatly. Especially Viola, they seemed to hold her and Tom Reid in polite contempt.

She'd told Morro not to let their unfriendliness bother him, he did still smell a bit like necromancy and she was used to their behavior towards herself and Tom. The latter bothered him more than the former, Viola was prickly but not terrible and there wasn't much reason for the way they treated her. Maybe it was based on some kind of prejudice in the magical community, he wasn't sure. Viola would explain it eventually or he'd find out himself.

Morro finished dusting a shelf and walked around to straighten out the bookshelf. Quite a few were spellbooks but most of them were rare or old books with pictures enchanted to move around. It was his favorite place in the entire shop, he'd spend hours by the shelf, if Viola would let him. His least favorite place was by an enchanted full length mirror that held a piece of the Preeminent but Viola assured Morro the creature couldn't get at him, so he wasn't as scared of it as he was at first.

He finished and walked over to the desk, leaning on it, and asked "Hey Viola? What did you mean by 'Smelling Necromancy?'"

Viola was straightening out the jewelry racks as she replied, "Different types of magic have different smells to people that use it. Old Wives Magic or witchcraft, as you incorrectly know it, smells like primroses or cinnamon depending on the subtype. Sorcery smells like metal being soldered and Divination smells like bitter herbs" She finished and added, "In the case of Necromancy, it smells like mold on people its been used on and sulfur in the case of practitioners. You smell a bit less moldy, so I think you've come back before."

Morro shrugged, "Technically I did."

"I was right then. I usually am."

He rolled his eyes at her and said sarcastically, "Yes dear."

Viola pointed at him and snapped, "I WILL hex you, don't think I won't!"

Before he could reply the bell rang and KAI of all people walked in along with Jay.

Morro froze and internally panicked. On one hand, he did look very different, his hair was pulled back and he was wearing new clothes. On the other hand, Kai might still recognize him anyway and the Ninja was aggressive. Morro could not see Viola reacting well to an attack on him or a fight among the very breakable and highly dangerous objects.

Jay walked around the shop and looked at things and Kai asked him, "Hi, are you the owner?" After Morro failed to reply, he waved his hand in front of his face, "Hello?"

Morro resisted the urge to break the fire ninja's hand and replied shortly, "No, that'd be her." Guess Kai didn't recognize him.

"Oh okay" Kai turned to Viola, who looked annoyed, "Has anybody come in here trying to sell you a strange mask?"

Viola sighed, "I have a lot of people selling me a lot of things. You need to be specific."

"An Oni Mask? Specifically the mask of deception."

Morro sucked in a sharp breath of surprise and the witch's shoulders straightened and she looked sharply at Kai, "No! Why?"

"Its really none of your-"

She cut him off, "You asked me and this involves a highly dangerous object made from strange magic, it is my business. In fact, It's the whole magical community's business. Now why are you asking?"

Kai hesitated but replied, "It was stolen from Borg Industries by some cult called The Sons of Garmadon and we're looking at all possible angles. Do you know anything or know anyone that would?"

"I don't know anything about it but you might want to check other Magical shops, they might-" somewhere in the shop Tom yowled and Viola screeched in Jay's general direction, "That vase is worth more to me than you Ninja and, if you break it, I'll hex you so hard your grandchildren will feel it!"

The lightning ninja emerged from the far left corner, Tom on his heels , and grouched, "Fine, Fine! Yeesh, who spit in her coffee?"

Kai sighed, "Thanks anyways. C'mon Jay" He grabbed Jay by the arm and pulled him out grumbling, "I can't take you anywhere can I?"

Morro called, "Have a nice evening" after they left he sighed in relief, "I thought they might recognize me."

Viola shrugged, "I didn't expect them to. As far as they know, you're dead, and they weren't expecting to see you. So they didn't and that's its own magic."

* * *

Somewhere, The Quiet One was laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

The magical community was very interested in the news about the Oni Mask of Deception. It seemed to be a hot topic of discussion among customers anyway. Viola kept mum about the finer details of what this exactly meant but she did briefly explain the Oni Masks were used in rituals involving the calling up of powerful evil spirits. The more powerful the spirit, the more masks needed.

It was kind of insulting that Morro didn't even need a mask...

Morro was interrupted in his thoughts when a dark haired man dressed in a suit and wearing a top hat and monocle walked in. The man looked him up and down and, with his eyebrow raised, asked, "Is Miss Reid in?"

"She's upstairs, I'll get her. Who should I say is here?"

"Jack Thomas."

Morro picked up the new phone in the wall behind the counter and dialed the extension to the second floor, where Viola was setting out new items. Viola had enchanted the phone for him because he refused to touch the skull that she previously had set up. That thing was awful.

After the second ring she answered "_Yes Morro?"_

"Hey, some guy named Jack Thomas is here to see you."

There was a rush of static and Viola hissed irritably, _"Fine, I'll be right down."_

After Morro hung up he turned and was face to face with Jack, who had walked up to the counter, "Whoa! Uh-She'll be right down."

"I'm sure."

The other man stared at him for an uncomfortably long time and Morro began to nervously re-tidy the Jewelry rack, the accessories whispering in protest. Jack suddenly said, "So you aren't a warlock then?"

"What? No, I don't do magic."

Jack looked at him condescendingly, "No I suppose not and yet Viola chooses to share our secrets with you, of all people. A necromantic mistake."

Morro decided to lighten the tension with humor. He wanted to respond just as insultingly but this man really unnerved him for some reason, "If you mean how to saw a lady in half, I already knew that one. You put fake legs in one end and the lady curls her legs up on the other end."

The other man bristled, much to Morro's joy as that is not what he intended, and snapped, "That is a foul illusionist trick! We do much more complicated things, I assure you! The most powerful among us can conjure up storms and make Yokai dance at our feet! All with a book of spells!"

"And you choose to dress like a foul illusionist" Morro leaned forward and put his chin on his hand, grinning widely, "Would you be able to produce a Kitsune from a hat or do you need to go consult your 'book of spells' first?"

Jack looked ready to kill Morro and might have tried if Viola hadn't walked downstairs at that moment and demanded, "Well, what do you want?" The shop seemed to be equally insulted by his presence and a clockwork hawk shrieked at him.

The monocled man gave the master of wind a look before replying as he handed Viola a scroll, "The Congress demands your presence, along with other pawnbrokers and magical shop owners. Bring your license."

Viola laughed mockingly and said, "Nice try Jackie but witches don't answer to Arcana government. Take a hike."

Jack examined his mononcle, smirking, and responded "If you don't we'll have you blacklisted."

Morro and Viola both protested in unison, Morro snapping, "You can't do that to her!" and Viola groaning, "C'mon this is clearly harassment!"

The other man snapped "Tonight Miss Reid! Bring your license and your familiar!" With that, he marched out the door.

Viola screamed and harmlessly blasted the air, causing Tom (who had been asleep on the counter) to jump and hiss. The air smelled like burnt cinnamon and she quickly read the scroll over before grumbling, "That JERK."

"Well...what happens now?"

"We go to the Congress. Congrats Morro, you get to see how our government works."

* * *

_Evening_

On the way to the congress, Viola explained important things: First, Congress was made up of representatives from local magical counties, as there was no main government. Second, witches and serpentine magic practitioners didn't answer to it. Which brought them to point three: witches only answered to it if they did business with 'The Folk' as magical people called themselves. Which is why Viola was there.

And why the other shopowners/pawnbrokers were there too, some of whom Morro recognized. There was Sen, a pleasant women who who ran a chain of pawnshops that took everything from crystal balls to enchanted toys, along with her snake familiar Donn, Mystake of course, an elderly man named Bao and his son Temujin who ran an antique shop and specialized in Blood Magic items and Jin, who's familiar was a very traditional hare called Bouncer. Jin was a peddler who sold miscellaneous items out of her van around Ninjago and was somehow related to Viola, though Morro was never clear on how. He got the distinct impression that the older woman was humoring the whole thing, like she could snap her fingers and be miles away at any moment but this was slightly more interesting.

Actually, all the business owners gave off that impression.

The Congress had plain white walls with one high bench and a long desk, that normally held a panel of two men and one woman but now only had one man, and a pit with a soft red carpeted floor that everyone was sitting on. There was an emergency exit and one wooden door that was carved with a stern looking wizard and sorceress on each side. The whole thing was underneath Ninjago City Mall and, in spite of incense being burnt, smelled musty and old.

Mystake fell asleep at one point but was woken up by a stern looking older gentleman pounding a gavel. Underneath his spot on the desk, a bronze nameplate read 'Yoshi Law' "Order! Miss Reid, what do you mean by bringing that THING here." Tom Reid jumped on Morro's lap, arched his back, and spat at the judge. Morro stroked Tom and whispered, "Good kitty, you tell them."

Ignoring Morro, the woman answered, "It's my familiar your honor."

"Not the cat! The man."

Viola sharply drew the scroll from her pocket, unfurled it, and read in a short tone, "_We, the congress of Arcane people, demand the presence of all Business people dealing in magical items, along with their licenses as proof of identity as well as familiars, and employees"_ She threw the scroll in her lap, "Morro is my employee, non-folk or not, so he's here."

The judge scowled at her, though his eyes smiled, and replied, "Very well then."

"It has come to our attention that the Oni Mask of Vengeance, which was given to Cyrus Borg by a Folk archaeologist named Gloria Hatter, has been stolen from Borg Industries."

There was muttering throughout the room and the Judge continued, "The archaeologist has been blacklisted as gifting magic to non-folk is a crime-"

Mystake called out, "But not selling it! Its not a crime as long we turn a profit you can tax!"

Titters came from the lower group and Yoshi ignored her, "-But the real issue is the fact the mask is part of a set of three. Which we all know means someone is trying to call up a spirit."

"As of right now, the Mask of Hatred is lost to time, unless Gloria finds it and gifts it again, and the mask of deception has also been stolen from the Royal Family by the Sons of Garmadon. This can only mean one thing." He paused dramatically.

Jin piped, "That the Sons of Garmadon are collecting masks! Two are just bookends but three! That's a collection." Morro couldn't help it, he laughed, and Viola elbowed him in the ribs, "Ow!"

Yoshi glared at her, "It means they are trying to raise their namesake: Garmadon" There was a long silence and someone coughed "In order to prevent this happening, I will make the following requests: if one comes into your shop you will confiscate it and contact both Ninjagan and Folk authorities. If you hear of the mask of hatred being discovered, you will contact the Ninja. And, finally, if you smell oni magic that is not Mystake, you will immediately inform the Congress. If the congress call on you, even you are a witch, we strongly suggest you answer." "Any Questions?"

* * *

The Quiet One sent an anonymous message to the Ninja along with evidence, _"Morro is alive."_

She smiled. Let them see past this distraction.


End file.
